Vote NO on PBG Q1 – Two 3-Year Terms Are Enough!
Posted by PBG Watch on July 23, 2018 · 2 Comments
The Palm Beach Gardens City Council – none of whom have yet served a single term, are asking you to expand the definition of term limits to mean 3 consecutive 3-year terms (9 years), rather than the 2 consecutive 3-year terms (6 years) to which they are currently limited. Over 16000 residents, 80% of those voting, approved the existing 2 3-year term limits in 2014.
A form of the question was to be on the ballot in March and was pulled by the judge reviewing the language. It has since been rewritten to at least inform the voter that term limits already exist and what the change would be. But the City’s ‘Fix Our Charter’ website does not inform you about the landslide nature of the election in 2014. It does state that:
“In the March 2018 Municipal Election, Palm Beach Gardens voters approved two amendments to the City Charter. These amendments improved ** local elections by ensuring the candidate with the plurality (highest number) of votes wins the election and that any Council member who is termed out must wait a three-year period before running again for City Council.”
What they also didn’t tell you (nor sadly did the Palm Beach Post) – was that the results of March’s question 3, allowing term-limited council members to run again, is being appealed in the courts. The issue will not be resolved prior to the August 28 elections, and the March election results stand: term-limited council members can run again after sitting out a term (3 years)
IF QUESTION 1 PASSES, A COUNCIL MEMBER, ONCE REACHING THEIR FIRST TERM LIMIT (9 years in office) CAN RE-RUN AND BE IN OFFICE IF RE-ELECTED FOR 18 YEARS OR MORE.
Please consider why you voted for term-limits in 2014 and keep the two 3-year term limits intact – VOTE NO On August 28!
CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS REFERENDUM QUESTION NO. 1
SHALL THE PALM BEACH GARDENS CHARTER BE AMENDED TO CHANGE FROM THE EXISTING TERM LIMIT, WHICH PROHIBITS A COUNCIL MEMBER FROM BEING ELECTED TO MORE THAN TWO CONSECUTIVE FULL TERMS TO A TERM LIMIT THAT PROHIBITS A COUNCIL MEMBER FROM SERVING FOR MORE THAN THREE CONSECUTIVE FULL TERMS AND MAKING THE CHANGE APPLY TO ALL SITTING COUNCIL MEMBERS?
SHALL THE ABOVE DESCRIBED QUESTION NO. 1 BE ADOPTED?
(** the City is making an editorial comment on the results of the March 2018 election)
Term limits produce amature boards .
Experience is required for professional results .
If someone can’t figure out the position and be effective in 6 years, why do you think they will be able to in nine? Even the US president is limited to 8 years and that’s a full time position whereas a PBG Council-person is a part time job. Does your statement mean you are against term limits for the presidency? Your logic seems to lead in that direction. IMHO, politicians exist for one purpose and one purpose only. That purpose is to be re-elected. And, at nearly $27k per year for a part time job with benefits, who can blame them…….other than their conscience.
It’s an egotistical power grab, nothing more.